Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets

Current Odds: +850

If we are going to talk about who has the best chance to win the MVP award outside of the first few betting favorites, we should look no further than Nikola Jokic. Not only did Jokic win the award last season, but his numbers are even better this year and Jokic is leading the Nuggets to one of the best records in the Western Conference despite all of his team’s injuries. 

Nikola Jokic has missed just one game so far this year due to being suspended because of an altercation with Markeiff Morris and the Miami Heat, but he has continued to find ways to elevate his game and build off his MVP season a year ago. 

Through 14 games he has played in, Jokic is averaging 26.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.2 steals and is shooting 53.6% from the floor, 35.0% from three-point range. Perhaps the most important statistic proving why Nikola Jokic has a great chance to repeat as this year’s MVP is the fact that his Player Efficiency Rating of 35.4 is currently the best in the league and currently one of the best ratings of all-time.

No player in NBA history has ever eclipsed Giannis Antetokounmpo’s PER of 31.86 during the 2019-20 season and while Nikola Jokic came close last year at 31.28, he is shattering this record so far this season! 

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If Jokic continues to elevate his play and step up with guys like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. out of the lineup due to injuries, there is no doubt that he will be a finalist once again for this year’s MVP award. The Nuggets are 9-5 and if they finish inside the Top-4 of the Western Conference in the standings, Nikola Jokic needs to be this year’s MVP.